Southend-on-Sea, EssexImmortalised in the credits of the TV series Minder, at 1.3 miles (2,158m) Southend is the longest pier in the world and was named Pier of the Year 2007 by the National Piers Society. It has a unique two-train system running its whole length, an Adventure Island theme park at the shore end, and can be fished from (with a pass) day and night. It's had its fair share of setbacks, from a tanker that crashed into it in the 1980s to a fire that gutted the pier head in 2005. But, as Sir John Betjeman put it, "The pier is Southend, Southend is the pier."

Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North YorksThe only pier left on England's north-east coast has withstood more than 100 years of North Sea battering. Saltburn is also home to the Cliff Lift, Britain's oldest water-balanced lift, which opened in 1884 and is still going strong.

Grand Pier, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset This classic pleasure pier, a flashing, multicoloured utopia of adrenaline rides and amusement arcades, stands proud above the mud flats overlooking the Bristol Channel. Try the Big Wheel Castle of Doom, the Crazy House or the Freefall for size. Or if the sound of those is making you feel queasy, there's always 10-pin bowling, a ride on the train that runs the length of the pier, or an extremely gentle promenade accompanied (in fair weather at least) by local bands.

Cromer, NorfolkVisit Cromer for a slice of comic history: it boasts the only surviving end-of-the-pier show in Britain, the Seaside Special. The show is held in the Pavilion Theatre throughout the summer months, alongside one-off performances from esteemed artists like Chas 'n' Dave. You can also buy crab lines and perch on the end of the pier to net your own Cromer crab.

Llandudno, ConwyConsidered the finest example of Victorian pier architecture still standing. It's the longest pier in Wales, stretching 700m out to sea, in the resort Bill Bryson once said was his favourite. Built in 1878, the pier boasts delicate wrought-iron balustrades and ogee-style roofs.

Southwold, SuffolkHauled back from the brink by the blood, sweat and cash of 3,000 locals, this 190m pier is peppered with inventions-of-joy created by engineer Tim Hunkin. There's a brilliant selection of bespoke slot machines and simulators, individually made by inventors (go to underthepier.com with suggestions for your own gaming machine). Look out for the water clock and tunnelling telescope and see if you can spot the "enviromentally economical" couple sharing a bath. You can also buy a permit and fish for bass and sole off the back of the pier.

Clevedon, SomersetThe only intact Grade I-listed pier in the country, Clevedon provides visitors with sublime views across the Severn Estuary and the two Severn bridges, and offers the best sunsets in the West Country as shadows fall over Flat Holm and Steep Holm islands. You can take boat trips and fish from the pier, even check out local art in its gallery.

Southport, MerseysideBegun in 1859, this is one of the earliest piers to be constructed from iron. Half of the pier is, uniquely, over land, and the whole structure offers a more serene experience than nearby Blackpool piers. Try the Golden Galloper, its 100-year-old carousel, or just drink in the views at the pier's end: from Snowdonia right around to the Lake District, taking in Blackpool, Morecambe Bay and the whole of Liverpool Bay.

Palace Pier, Brighton, East SussexThis, the most commercially successful pier in the country, includes amusement arcades and food stalls that run the length of the pier and a massive choice of white-knuckle rides. Try the truly terrifying Booster or Superbooster, which swings you upside-down, blurring the distinction between sky and sea as you zoom painfully close to a free fall into open waters.

Blackpool's three piers, LancashireOnly Blackpool could feel the need to have three of the things. The first, the North Pier, opened in 1863 and is the oldest Eugenius Birch design still in use. The Central Pier (1868) is the most glitzy, with its 33m-high ferris wheel and almost-legendary Legends look-a-like show. The South Pier (1893) has arcades and white-knuckle rides, and is a good spot from which to survey the full delights of the Pleasure Beach.